IEPs and Collaboration
This page will walk you through the development of an individualized education program (IEP) and discuss the importance of collaborating with the student's family and the school staff to help the student be successful. What is an IEP? According to "Learning About Ieps"(2019), an IEP is more than just a written legal document (or “plan”). It’s a map that lays out the program of special education instruction, supports and services kids need to make progress and succeed in school. Each program is designed to meet a child’s exact needs. The term IEP is also used to refer to the written plan that spells out the specific types of help the child will get. Both the program and the plan are covered by special education law, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (What is an IEP?). An IEP requires the collaboration of both the school staff and the child's family in order to be successful. The IEP includes a plan for the student's level of participation in the general education setting, their current levels of performance, annual goals based on their areas of need, special education and related services/supplementary aids to be provided to the student, and any adaptations or supports for school staff that will be provided to the student. For this plan to be effective, the family and staff must be on the same page and make a plan that best benefits the student and meets their needs in the least restrictive way possible. The parent(s) must consent to all parts of the process, including the evaluation of their child, the determinations of necessary services, and the placement of the child in any ''type of special education program. They also can request independent educational evaluations of their child, if they so choose. You can find the full list of parent rights here. Who attends the IEP meetings? The child's IEP is developed by a team (which includes the parents). When a meeting is called, the meeting has the following attendees: * Parent(s) * General education teacher (as applicable) * Special education teacher * School district representative (an administrator to be present who knows about the workings of general and special education and has the power to commit to giving the resources for your child. * Specialist (this is usually a speech & language provider, OT provider, PT, school psychologist, etc.) ** If your student has a combination of these services, each of those providers will be present at the meeting. These members are able to interpret at deliver the results of any assessments completed in these areas. Team members can be excused from meetings if both the school and parent agree on it, otherwise, it's better to reschedule the meeting for a time when everyone can make it. Parents are also welcome to invite any others to be present at the meeting whether a service provider (like a doctor), a friend, an advocate, etc. Just be sure to let the school know that someone else will be joining the meeting ("The Iep Meeting: An Overview", 2019). What is discussed? As previously stated, the IEP meeting is an opportunity for the team to develop a plan to best fit the student. At each IEP meeting you will cover topics such as: * Present levels of performance (both academics & functional) * Goals (based on data & observations) * Supports and services (including accommodations & modifications) Present levels will be reported on by each person who works with the student. This means that there will be an update for not only special education and general education, but for speech, OT, PT, etc. as well. Parents are welcome and encouraged to share any changes that they feel need to be made ("The Iep Meeting: An Overview", 2019). Types of Assessments Assessment determine if a child qualifies for special education and the assessments must be completed to determine the needs specific to your child. The assessments will determine any services the child needs and should cover all areas that are related to their disability. These areas would include social/emotional, cognitive, speech and language, self-help, psychomotor, and/or vocational needs of the student (Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, 2019). You can find an assessment chart linked here that gives examples of different assessments and what they show. Developing Appropriate Goals Developing goals is one of the most significant parts of a child's IEP. These goals are the framework for making growth in areas a child is struggling in. Great goals have a specific framework which is outlined for you below. # Goals should be specific #* The goals should specifically target the child's academic and/or functional needs. #** '''Example 1:' Kelly will increase study skills for academic success ''(very general) #** '''Example 2:' Kelly will demonstrate the following study skills: highlighting important facts in the material and use reference materials in social studies class. ''(more specific to the individual) # Goals should be measurable #* A measurable goal is a goal that can be counted or observed and allows the team to see how much growth the child has made since the last time their performance was measured. #** '''Example 1: 'Jared will improve his reading skills. #** Example 2: ''Given a text at a second grade level, Jared will read a passage orally at 110-130 words per minute.'' # Goals should be realistic and relevant #* The child's IEP should have goals that are relevant to their needs as a result of their disability. These goals should be based on their need, not necessarily on a given standard. #** Example 1: ''Marc will demonstrated improved writing skills.'' #** Example 2: ''Marc will improve his writing skills so he can write a clear, cohesive, and readable paragraph of at least 3 sentences, including compound and complex sentences that are clearly related.'' This is a basic framework as stated in ''Wrightslaw: Special Education Law, Second Edition ''(Wright & Wright, 2016). Further details can be found here regarding other goal considerations such as objectives, time frames, and looking at present levels of performance. Co-teaching & Inclusion Some inclusion models include co-teaching in the general education classroom to meet the needs of the students in that classroom. Co-teaching is a model of teaching that uses two educators who work simultaneously in a classroom to teach the given material. Below, I've constructed a table of the various models of co-teaching and their definitions. Co-teaching has several pros and cons and each model offers something different to meet the needs of the students in that particular classroom. Co-teaching can be very beneficial for those students who are able to manage the mainstream classroom, but require some extra support. Using these models allows for the availability of another teacher to be able to help students as needed. This model also allows the teachers to plan together, giving the opportunity to share ideas and really perfect how they want to present the information. If the pair is a general education and a special education teacher, the special education teacher is able to help with addressing the specific needs of each student, such as accommodations and modifications. The students receive specific feedback from their teachers on how their doing and are able to get help that is at their level. While co-teaching has a great list of pros, there are some challenges to think about as well. Using a co-teaching model can be difficult for students who have higher levels of needs. If a student requires more significant support, this model may not be appropriate for them. While teachers are able to plan and execute the lesson together, this also requires that both teachers are on the same page at all times and are able to determine a style that works best for both parties. If the teachers are unable to work together, this model will be ineffective. One of the key pieces of this model is to establish a community in the classroom with the understanding that the teachers are equal. It's often easy for students to ask questions or follow directions of one teacher more so than the other. Establishing the expectations to the students can also be challenging if they have not participated in this model in the past.